Carbonizing or pack-hardening box.



lVi'. D. WILBUR. CARBONIZING 0R PACK HARDENINQ BOX.

APPHcATmN FILED MAR. 23. 1915.l

L15?? Patented Oct. 1;), 1915 (f3/,4m x y mfjwwm. www www, w"

i lll'iereiforo l have constructed initialen snaren Parana?" CARBONIZINGOR' PACLHARDENING BOX.

ASpeclcation of LetterslPatent.

Lineair.

internen oei, ia, rais.

Application filed March 23, 1915. Serial No. 16.439.

deniui' rooins of manufacturing establish-` the type of box heretoforegenerally used has been a plain, open topmicylindrical or rectangularreceptacle of cast iron or cast steel having a cover somewhat largerthan the top of the box so as to be luted thereon with lireclay, therebeing. no connection other than the clay between the box and the rover.lt very frequently happens, however, that this clay, when subjected tothe intensev heat of the furnaces into which the boxes are placed,breaks olf in places thus leaving cracks between the cover and boxthrough which the carbon gases liberated from the wuswhardening,compound escape, anda-as the carbonization of the articles isdue tothese gases itis 'very essential that they be retained.

is the object of this invention, and l have found that by placingboxesin a furnace faith their open side down, in which position thecover foi-ins a base for supporting the bor, the. escape of gases will.be much less as their tendency is to rise and in so doing will circulatethrough the box before escaping through any cracks that may be formedbetween the boit and the base by breaking away of portions of lire-clay;and the result of this is that articles will be case-hardened to thedesired depth in considerably less time than 'when the boxes are usedwith their open side up asliei'etofore, the furnace heat boina" thesuino of course in both instances. a boxthat may be turned upside downwhen placed iii a `furnace and in which the nien'ibeir for closiiig thelion becpines a oase for supporting llo prevent the escape of suchgases, then,v

the saine above the furnace floor, suoli a` boit and modificationsthereof being illust ated in the accompanying; drawings, in wliicli,-

Figure l is a Viewr in perspective of a box f i i i i and base therefor;lila'. it, a transverse vertical central sectional view of the box andbase seen in Fig. l; Fig. 3, a` 4vertical sectional detail ot the rearend, with. respect to Fig. l, df the box and base; Fig. 4l, aplan viewof a? boit and base of cylindrical `conformation; Fig. 5, a verticalsectional View taken along,r the line--g/ of Fig. l; 6, a top plan Viewof a cylindrical box of modified construction; and Fig. 7, averticalsectional View taken along the line ail--yl of A Fi G.V

binoilar reference characters 'referto similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring first to Figs. to 3, iinzlusi-re,4 l represents a rectangularshaped cast iron or cast steel box having" side and end Walls 0 and 3,respectively, and a top wall Ll, the bottoni of the box being open. Theside walls 2 have iianges 5 extending outwardly at right angles alongtheir lower edges adapted to rest upon a base ineinber 6 and to slidablyi engage iii channels formed between the saine and coperatin,gr flanges7 extendiii,ii1 iiiviiardly from the top edges of sides 8 on the base,such member 6 being Valso provided across its rear edge with an upwardlyein tending flangel against which an end wall 3 of the box will engage.The base meniber 6 ,extends forward a short distance fron'ilthe frontend Wall of the boit and is provided on lits under side' near eachcorner thereof with suitablefeet 10 for supporting; it above I ln-niaking use of a loon such as just above .l

described, the articles to be case hardened, as indicated at l2 1n Fig.2, are paelied therein with any preferred carbonizing inaterial i3,

the position of the box boing with its open side uppermost. 'lhoineniber G is `then slid to place on the box, as a cover, and the partsturnell over so that this nien'iber 6 lfiecoinies a base for sappia-tuurthe box. The boca-is than lated with tiraday lt aioiigdts-sides and endsto the base (l and placed in a furnace, the base being supported abovethe floor thereof by the feet l0.

Refer now to' Figs. l to 7, inclusive. Figs. i and there is shown acylindrical box 2l open atA one cnd and having a side wall l5 and endl.Similar 'a`nd oppositely disposed circular flange sections 18 extendoutwardly from the sidewall l5 at the open end of the box and slidablyengage beneath cooperating flange sections 19 extending inwardly fromcircular side portions 20 vformed on the periphery of the base member2l. such member being provided with suit-l able feet( 272 preferablythree in number.

rThe box 35, shown in Figs. G and i, is quite similar to that shown inFigs. d and 5 but is especially constructed for receivingV rings or suchlike articles, and, in order that au unnecessar.' amount of carbonizingmaterial may not be used and that there will be a `like amount of suchmaterial inside and outside of the rings. the box is provided with acentrally disposed vertically extending holh low cylindrical core 23.Thebase 2G for this box is siinilarto the base Q1 except that a hole' 27is provided in the center thereof so that the walls ot' the core 23' maybe subjected to the saine heat as the outer Wall l5. lt willbe readilyseen, also, that a rectangular box as l inay be provided with a likecore member These cylii'idrical boxes and bases, when not luted withre--clay ll, are turnable relatively on each other in order to disengagethe copeiating flanges 18 and 19 for the purpose of separating theparts. The boxes 2st and 25 are each provided with lugs i7 on their sidewalls l5, such lugs be.- ing similar to and for the saine purpose as thelugs 1l on the box l. The walls of the boxes and bases will warpsomewhat and for this reason clearance is allowed between thecooperating flanges on respective ones of these members, but theconstruction of the boxes and bases therefor is suoli, as will readilybe seen, that warping will be largelyA prevented.

t is believed that, 'from the foregoing de scription, the construction,manner of using and purpose for which boxes constructed in accordancewith my invention are intended are sulhciently clear to call for nofurther explanation herein.

That l claim is: i. The combination, in a device of the character andfor the purpose described, of

ay box having one side open, a cover slidable on and oli' of said box,projections formed on said cover, llangcs on side walls of said box,

coperating flanges on said cover adapted to engage said first' namedflanges in overlapping relation, said box adapted to be placed in afurnace, bottoni side up. with the cover foi-ming a base supported abovethe lfurnace lloor by'said projections, and nieans as lugs formed onsaid box adapted to be engaged by a suitable device therefor when.placing the box in or removing it from a furnace.

2. The combination, in a device 'of the character and for the purposedescribed, of a box having one side open, a cover slidable on and oliAo'f said box. flanges extending out wardly from side walls of said box,sides on said cover, and flanges extending inwardly therefrom adaptedtol engage said first named flanges iiivoverlapping relation.

3. The combination, in a device of the character and for the purposedescribed, of a box member having one sideopen, a ineinber for closingsaid open side, flanges extending outwardly7 from side walls of saidbox, sides on said closing iiieniber, flanges extending inwardlytherefrom adapted to engage said first named flanges in overlappingrelation, and projections formed on one of said members for supportingsaid box above the floor of a 'fui-nace. Y

4. The combination, in a device of the character and for the purposedescribed, of

a box having one side open, a cover slidable u on and ofi' of said box,flanges extending outwardly froinside Walls of said box, sides on saidcover, flanges extending inwardly therefrom adapted to engage said firstnamed flanges in overlapping relation, and projections forined on saidcover, said box adapted to he placed in a furnace, bottoni side up, withthe coverforming a base supported above the furnace floor by saidprojections.

The combination, in a. device of the character and for the purposedescribed, of a box comprising side and bottom walls and having an opentop, a cover removable therefrom and having its edges extending at allpoints beyond said side walls, projections foi-ined on.

said cover, said box adapted to be placed in a furnace, bottoni side up,with said cover forming a base supported above the furnace.

floor by-said projections, and coperating members formed integrally withsaid side walls and along the edges ot'. said cover adapted to engage inoverlapping relation to hold the box and cover against separation whenthe device is being overturned.

' MERRITT l). WILBUR.

l/Vitnesses:

'Francis P. CANNON, FLORENCE MAHON.

